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- 5 Dec 2017
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Josh Murphy is injured?!Hold your horses, our two most important players went off injured on Saturday!
The patterns of play and style of play was evident before the Bolton game but as you say, the players weren’t following out the game plan as well as they are now. In fact I mentioned it a few times how it was clear Des was trying to set up with more defensive full backs and using the wingers as out and out wingers. Unfortunately it became a lazy way to have a dig at DB saying there was no clear plan when there was.
Also my personal bias? Yes I know Des but that doesn’t mean I support him unreservedly. Look back at me suggesting he should go after the Bolton game along with everyone else.
Nah I don’t agree with this.That Derby game we were out on our feet as we literallly had no options to come off the bench and we’d played a few days earlier. They had options off the bench and a stronger squad. That’s why, ‘they came on strong’ we hammered them for 25 minutes and they got a goal just before half time and that gave them impetus. The squad was stretched at that point, that wasn’t Des’s Fault.
Nah I don’t agree with this.
We raced into a two goal lead and then were unlucky to concede one before halftime - which completely shot our confidence. We didn’t look like a side who wanted to compete and get forward, we desperately tried to sit back and hang on to our lead.
I’m not saying it was Des’ fault as such (unless at half time he screamed at them to sit deep and defend at all costs) but I don’t think it was due to tiredness. If we’d gone in 2-0 up and managed not to concede for the first 10-15 mins of the first half I think we’d have got at least a draw from that game…
Yep. We are over-reliant on either Murphy skinning defenders or one of Brannagan's long range efforts being deflected in. We could really do with RR finding his mojo again and putting together those inch perfect passes through the middleIt's not just the players failing to carry out the game plan, though - it's also the fact that some opposition are better able to counter it than others.
Murphy has just torn four successive bad defenses to shreds.....but before that, he was mostly kept quiet by Gethin Jones, who is an outstanding defender at this level. And with him and Dale getting no change, we were completely lacking in ideas.
That's why there's still an element of 'Yes, it's been great, but.......' at the moment. Until we've seen DesBall really work against a good side (and I mean work as in we win the game, not glorious failure like at Pompey) then there's going to be doubts.
Peterborough and then Lincoln are going to be two terrific tests - firstly the best attack in the division (on a Goals per Game basis), and then the best defense in the space of four days.
This time next week, we will have a much better idea of whether Des is going to make it.
I tend to agree. RR needs to find some form. Des has stuck with him - if he found his form, we will be far more difficult to play against.Yep. We are over-reliant on either Murphy skinning defenders or one of Brannagan's long range efforts being deflected in. We could really do with RR finding his mojo again and putting together those inch perfect passes through the middle
I tend to agree. RR needs to find some form. Des has stuck with him - if he found his form, we will be far more difficult to play against.
I am not sure that he has been as good as at the start of the season.I think he's been a bit better these last few games, him and Goodrham combined well.
f**k off and support WatfordI think that's a fair assessment. There can't be excuses, he has to deliver in these games - it's what good managers do, win the big fixtures. Des has had his 25 game bedding in period, he's going in to these games all guns blazing, players on form, three games to shape the season. I'm feeling reasonably confident he is going to do this, I'm not entirely confident he wont revert to type and sit on a narrow lead for 75 minutes, but I have a lot more faith in him now they I did three or four weeks ago. Here's hoping!
Nah I don’t agree with this.
We raced into a two goal lead and then were unlucky to concede one before halftime - which completely shot our confidence. We didn’t look like a side who wanted to compete and get forward, we desperately tried to sit back and hang on to our lead.
I’m not saying it was Des’ fault as such (unless at half time he screamed at them to sit deep and defend at all costs) but I don’t think it was due to tiredness. If we’d gone in 2-0 up and managed not to concede for the first 10-15 mins of the first half I think we’d have got at least a draw from that game…
Agreed. Not totally anonymous and did a lovely ball to put Harris through (against Port Vale?) but not on his early form yetI am not sure that he has been as good as at the start of the season.
From the perspective of scoring goals, opening up defences.
I was at that Derby game and the other thing I noticed was how hard that team worked. They flogged themselves to bits and kept running despite being totally knackered. They didnt strike me as a team that had given up on Des. I made a point of clapping them off (I'm near the tunnel South Stand Lower) despite the loss. They ran their socks off and were clearly gutted.I think a large part of the problem was that we didn't have a team that was going to allow us to compete and get forward.
Our bench for that game was:
Eastwood
Gorrin
Henry
McEachran
O'Donkor
Smyth
Thorniley
And the only pace in the team that started that match was Mills and Harris, and both of those had been flogged pretty hard over the Christmas period.
We were crying out for some options off the bench in that game who could take the game to Derby, but we had nothing. No Browne, no Edwards, no Murphy. Derby were able to pen us in safe in the knowledge that James Henry wasn't running in behind them and it was attritional Warne football of cross then corner then cross then corner.
The only thing I wondered if Buckingham could've done differently was get GO'D on earlier and then ask him to try and win some fouls off the centre backs to get us up the pitch a bit, but even that was asking a lot of a 19 year old up against centre backs like Cashin and Nelson.
For me, that game perfectly underlined how limited our squad was. Things are looking better at the moment but all it needs is Murphy and Browne back in the treatment room and things will unravel quickly.
Goodrham having to go off at half time really limited our attacking options as wellI was at that Derby game and the other thing I noticed was how hard that team worked. They flogged themselves to bits and kept running despite being totally knackered. They didnt strike me as a team that had given up on Des. I made a point of clapping them off (I'm near the tunnel South Stand Lower) despite the loss. They ran their socks off and were clearly gutted.
What have Watford done to upset you!f**k off and support Watford
I do feel a little uncomfortable with this recent pile on that seems to be happening - I’m sure he’ll come out and say he’s got thick skin and it doesn’t bother him etc but it can’t be nice having everyone lay into him and random accounts popping up to abuse him… yes he brings it upon himself to an extent but let’s not forget people’s mental health, we come on here because we all support the same team and while there’s nothing wrong with disagreeing and even criticising other posters when it feels like it’s everyone, all the time, for me it gets a bit much at times.Another controversial opinion. I think Dick gets too much of a hard time on this forum.